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1991 Low buck Montero build

I recently purchased a 1991 Montero LS with a 3.0 V6 and automatic transmission. The plan is to create an expedition vehicle on a limited budget. I will do my best to document all the repairs, upgrades and modifications along with the costs.

What I have to work with:

-1991 Mitsubishi Montero LS (LS was top of the line)

-3.0 V6 engine rated for 139 hp and 172 ft lbs torque.

-Aisin Warner A44DL 4 speed automatic transmission (Did you know this is same tranny that was Toyota vehicle so this tranny with bolt right up to NP231 and other jeep and toyota t-cases. So, bolting up a doubler or an Atlas would not be a big deal.)

-KM100 Transfer Case

-9" coil sprung, solid rear axle with LSD and 4.62 gears (ARB and Mitsubishi both have air lockers available for this axle, most 1992-2001 Montero were fitted with a rear locker which is a direct bolt-in third member.)

-8" independent suspension front axle with double A-arms, torsion bars and Aisin auto-locking hubs. (ARB makes a locker for this axle. Gearing solutions are available for both front and rear axles if needed through Mitsubishi.)

-Driver side suspension seat from the factory

-31x10.50R15 BFG KO's

-Power Sunroof, windows, A/C, inclinometer, new tires etc.

-Roof Rack

-No Rust

My Plans:

-Dual bouncy seats

-Airflow Snorkel

-Aisin manual locking hubs

-Camp Chef Stove/oven/grill combo

-Custom drawer system

-33x9.5r15 BFG KO tires and

-5.29 gears

-Mombossa Roof Top Tent

Here she is, she has the extremely rare 2 tone paint job and rare alloy wheels.

Ever since I purchased the Monty I have been getting some slight vibrations at 45mph. After jacking it up into the air I determined the idler arm needed to be replaced. I ordered a new idler arm from Rock Auto for $12. That was $120 cheaper than the local auto parts store wanted for the same part. When it came in the mail I surprised to see it was an OEM Mitsubishi idle arm with the Moog Joints. After installing the new idler arm and rotating the tires she now rides as good as new.

Last summer I purchased a used first gen Mombasa roof top tent. More recently I purchased a 1991 Mitsubishi Montero which came with a gutter mount roof rack. While the roof rack was great, the mount stuck up too far which would not all the the tent to deploy of the side of the vehicle. The rack also lacked proper spacing for the mounting brackets to mount to the tent properly. In addition to the rack, several repairs need to be made to the tent and the ladder. Here are some pictures and descriptions of the project. Lastly a big thanks to Larry for being a good buddy and helping me.

Here is 1 of 4 mounting brackets that needed to be cut off so the tent could deploy off the side of the vehicle properly.

Installing the load/mounting bars in the proper locations before they are welded in to place

Greg stated the tent had been dropped at one time which result in the plastic lining on the bottom of the tent to crack. We repaired this crack with some high end silicone.

I purchased some quick release pins to make removing the tent a little easier.

Here you can see how the ladder hangs out about 4" from the side of the tent, you can also see the quick disconnects and where we fixed the cracking with the silicone.

With the tent now back on the vehicle we are now able to deploy the tent, It's an added bonus that it matches the vehicle:D

A pic of my 4 year old in front of his new penthouse.

A pic of Larry's very very rare 1987 Ford Ranger turbo diesel 4x4. Besides the Stacks, 6" lift, 33" tires and 4.56 gears its all stock, including the turbo diesel engine.

All and all I am very happy with the tent, the first gen Mombasa is a beginner tent. The tent needs a few small pin holes repaired and the ladder still needs to be fixed so it does not stick out the side. This seems to be a common issue with the first gen tents. Another item, the first gen Mombasa is lacking when it comes to padding. For children it is adequate, but I will need pack my Exped air mattress for some extra comfort. The air mattress will also keep me much warmer from cold air flowing under the tent.

My 300 lb fat butt was sitting on the edge without any issues. The ladder supports all the weight on the over hang. The tent should be able to hold around 1500-2000 lbs when deployed. To deploy the tent takes under 60 seconds and packing up the tent takes around 3 minutes. There is no fussing with threading poles, unrolling sleeping bags, or blowing up air mattresses. All the bedding is kept in the tent and the mattress is built into the tent floor. It may not look like it but this oversized roof top tent sleeps a family of four very easily.

Funny you should ask, I sold the Montero this week to a friend. While I was sad to see it go because it was such a great vehicle, I needed to upgraded to a 7 passenger SUV. After 4 months of diligent searching, I was able to locate a 2000 Montero with just 26K miles on the ticker. It has been averaging 2K miles per year or 40 miles per week. It's basically a brand new vehicle. It has the Endeavor package which is top of the line for a Montero and the Endeavor package was only offered in 2000. In my opinion the 2000's were the last year of the real Montero's because they switched to a unibody and IRS in 2001. It was owned by a couple in there mid 70's and they were the only owners of the vehicle. It completely rust free and has been garaged its whole life. It's gorgeous in every way and I am way excited. I was also able to retain my Roof Top Tent for my 2000 Montero. I look forward to lightly modifying it for expedition use with the family.